NYSC Alawee increased...

Youth corps members are now to receive N19, 800.00 as allowance with effect from March 2011, the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Maharazu Tsiga, has announced.

Mr. Tsiga made this known in Abuja on Monday during a visit by a team from Barry University, Miami, Florida and Africans in Diaspora Partnership.

The NYSC members were receiving N9, 775.00 before now, and President Goodluck Jonathan had in his 2010 campaign tour, promised the increase.

According to Mr. Tsiga, the allowance of the NYSC members will be paid in arrears, to include the 2010 Batch ‘B' members, who finished their service year on July 7.

Mr. Tsiga expressed his happiness with President Goodluck Jonathan, for considering the plight of the corps members, stating that the scheme would work hard to realise its objective.

He also expressed satisfaction with the visit of the team, stating that it was timely, as seven youth corps members were successful in the Entrepreneurs competition organised by the Africans in Diaspora Partnership.

"I can assure you that the resources expended in the training and empowerment of the seven entrepreneurs has not been wasted since all of them are doing very well.

"Indeed, we see in them great potentials for wealth and job creation in the near future, that is why we are looking forward to greater and expanded opportunities for more corps members as talents abound in the scheme,'' Mr. Tsiga said.

He said that the contribution of NYSC members underscored national relevance of the scheme, adding that the scheme would ensure that the gains were not lost to the threat of post-service unemployment.

According to him, the agencies which partnered with the scheme on skills acquisition are the Central Bank of Nigeria, National Directorate of Employment and the MDGs Office.

Earlier, Adewale Alonge, leader of the delegation, had praised the scheme for its foresight and readiness to ensure that NYSC members were well equipped to stand on their feet, without looking for government employment after the scheme.